Volkswagen to Integrate Amazon Alexa System

Ever wanted a virtual assistant in your car that you could talk to and it would just do whatever you wanted, up to and including buying stuff for you through your Amazon account? Thanks to automakers like Volkswagen, that’s becoming a reality. Ford, VW, and Hyundai are all in talks with Amazon to bring the Amazon Alexa system into their vehicle lineups, which would allow users to sync up their Amazon accounts to their in-car infotainment systems.

Volkswagen has announced no official release date on the service, but Alexa will work together with the brand’s Car-Net system, which has provided vehicle status updates, smartphone connectivity, and other services since it was integrated into Volkswagen models in 2013. Using Alexa, VW drivers will be able to unlock or find their vehicle from a distance, check fuel levels, and even add destinations to the navigation system. And perhaps most interesting of all is the ability to sync up your Amazon account for instant access to all the goodies you could ever want from the driver’s seat.

The ability to use the Amazon Alexa system together with your Car-Net account poses an interesting capability, especially for people who like to DIY their own vehicle repairs; it gives drivers to chance to buy car parts or fluids the moment a warning light or alert comes up on their dashboard. If that’s not convenience, I don’t know what is.